The present invention relates to security systems and in particular to the integration of the remote reporting and control functions of a security system with a wireless thermostat and a heating and air conditioning control system to provide remote reporting and control of that system.
Wireless thermostats are used to allow thermostat control of a heating and air conditioning system in a home or business without having to run wires from the thermostat to the air control unit. Typically, these wireless thermostats include an RF transmitter for controlling the air control unit. RF remote control of a wireless thermostat is difficult because the thermostats are battery powered, and the batteries would drain quickly if it were to be continuously receiving, or even receiving at low duty cycle. Even if the power problem could be ameliorated, the addition of a receiver at the thermostat would result in a significant additional cost. Therefore, it would be desired to be able to provide remote RF control of the heating and air conditioning systems without requiring the thermostat to have an RF receiver.
Security systems presently in use often provide the user with remote control and reporting functions. Typically, a home security system will include a remote dialer device, which is connected to the system control panel and which is adapted to dial a central station whenever an alarm condition is detected by the system (such as when a motion sensor is triggered, for example).
It is desired to be able to utilize the remote control and reporting capabilities of a security system for allowing remote reporting and control of an air temperature control system(s) such as a furnace and/or an air conditioning unit.
The present invention is a security system and method of operation thereof that includes a control panel, an RF receiver connected to the control panel, an air temperature controller unit such as a furnace or an air conditioning unit that includes an RF receiver for receiving RF signals to control its operation, and a wireless thermostat which includes an RF transmitter configured to transmit air temperature control signals to the air temperature controller unit to control its operation in accordance with a preprogrammed air temperature profile. The control panel is adapted to receive and monitor signals transmitted from the thermostat RF transmitter and generate a thermostat warning signal under certain preprogrammed conditions. For example, the control panel can monitor the air temperature control signals transmitted by the thermostat RF transmitter to determine if a thermostat warning signal should be generated, or the thermostat may be programmed to generate periodic thermostat supervision signals for transmission to the control panel, in which case the control panel monitors the thermostat supervision signals transmitted by the thermostat RF transmitter to determine if a thermostat warning signal should be generated.
A thermostat warning signal may be generated by the control panel on the failure to receive any thermostat signals (supervision or control) over a certain period of time, or if a supervision signal is received that indicates a fault such as a low battery condition or an excessively low or high ambient air temperature. A central station interface module may be connected to the control panel for establishing communications with a central station when requested by the control panel, such that the control panel is adapted to cause the central station interface module to dial up a central station when a thermostat warning signal has been generated.
A thermostat identification indicia is programmed into a device ID table associated with the control panel and into control logic associated with the air temperature control unit; the control panel and the air temperature control unit are thus both adapted to receive and process signals transmitted by the thermostat RF transmitter.
An RF transmitter may be connected to the control panel and is adapted to communicate with the air temperature controller RF receiver; then the control logic associated with the air temperature control unit must be programmed with an identification indicia of that RF transmitter, and then the control panel may also be adapted to send air temperature control signals to the air temperature control unit to control its operation.
A user remote control device may also be implemented; an operator of the user remote control device can transmit remote control signals to control operation of the air temperature controller unit directly or via the security system.